A Catholic bishop committed suicide outside a Pakistani court in protest at a death sentence ordered against a Christian found guilty of blasphemy, a senior police official said yesterday
Bishop John Joseph (62) had addressed mass prayers in the city of Sahiwal, in Punjab province, late on Wednesday for Ayub Masih (25), who was convicted last month for uttering insulting remarks against the prophet Muhammed.
After an "emotional speech" at the gathering Bishop Joseph said he wanted to see Judge Rana Abdul Ghaffar of the court of district and sessions, who had pronounced the verdict following Masih's trial in Sahiwal jail on April 27th. According to Bishop Yaqoob Farooq of Sahiwal, who accompanied him, Bishop Joseph shot himself after their arrival. "This was an extreme form of protest," Mr Peter Jaccob, a Christian human rights activist said, fearing it could trigger a "violent" campaign if the government failed to repeal or amend the law.
According to Ms Asma Jehangir, chairwoman of the private Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the incident "communicates the desperation" of the non-Muslim minorities which find it "difficult" to get justice. An atmosphere of "terror" had been created by religious extremists, Ms Jehangir said, adding that a former judge, Mr Arif Bhatti, had been murdered two years ago allegedly for aquitting a person accused of blasphemy.
The authorities had to summon police reinforcements after hundreds of slogan-chanting Christians gathered at the court premises in Sahiwal after Wednesday's suicide amid rumours that the bishop had been murdered. According to Bishop Farooq the crowd calmed down after community leaders stressed that the bishop had killed himself.